Negotiation is the only option in dealing with Santa Cruz de la Sierra’s claims to autonomy

Posted by , 26th June 2008

Bolivia never ceases to amaze. More than once in its history, when it seemed that Bolivia was on the edge of disaster, it has done an unexpected about face away from violent conflict. Is this what is occurring today?

The core of the crisis between the Cristina Fernández’s government and agricultural producers is not fiscal but rather related to economic sustainability as well as medium- and long-term cultural confrontations that have a long history, the author claims.

Serbia continues to be entangled in an inescapable deadlock, without internal options that involve the majority of the population and without any reason to trust outside proposals – especially those of the European Union, despite their success in the parliamentary elections, says the author.

After more than three months of agitated mobilization of the Argentine agricultural sector, which has risen against the agrarian and economic policies of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s government, the possibility should not be discarded that the people of the countryside could shape the territorial base of upcoming projects and political realignments, the author says. The agricultural sector has a voice and a vote.

What initially emerged as a regional conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has now achieved status as a dispute of global proportions and repercussions, though after decades the driving faults behind it remain dismally unchanged. While the Palestinian nationalist movement faces the task of mending various historical defects, both sides of the conflict must now confront the responsibility of working towards a status as constructive partners, says the author.

Where will the Jihadists that are fighting in Iraq stop next? The European countries will be those most damaged in this dangerous migration, states the author. In spite of the raising of the consciousness of the police and intelligence, the European Union continues to present a permeable border. The EU borders are filled with weak points due to the imperfect coordination between member countries and spots where it is difficult to exert exhaustive control.

The strong rise in food prices worldwide has diverse and complex causes, but the situation can be summarized in the following: the demand has risen much more than the supply. If developed nations fail to recognize this, and fail to put fresh money towards the subsidy of food for the poorest, millions of people could die of hunger. The author recommends increasing the global supply of food (through existing technology and science), subsidizing food for the poorest, and implementing free trade worldwide in agriculture.

As Pakistan makes the transition from military rule to civilian rule, the newly elected coalition government finds itself with a full range of necessary reforms, from new economic policies to various changes in the legislative body and the constitution itself. Failure to carry out these measures, says the author, would have repercussions on the global War on Terror.

Is the relationship between China and Taiwan changing? The last official economic meeting between the respective authorities removed the hypothesis of the conflict. However, even intensifying the economic changes, the unification has not been considered, and not only because of Taipei’s objections: such a geopolitical change in the zone would question the influence of Washington in the region.